Stick strip winding machine

ABSTRACT

A TENSIONED TAPE HAVING TWO CORRESPONDING SERIES OF CIRCULAR PRE-PUNCHED HOLES AND A SERIES OF PLANAR ELONGATED ARTICLES EACH HAVING A SUBSTANTIAL WIDTH IN RELATION TO ITS THICKNESS ARE PROVIDED. THE PLANE OF EACH ELONGATED ARTICLE IS PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF THE TAPE SO THAT THE TAPE IS FLATTENED AGAINST THE OPPOSITE FACES OF THE ARTICLES.

suit, 20, 1-971- STIOK STRIP WINDING "MACHINE J. P. BEAUDOIN ETAL 3,605,373

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United States Patent 3,605,373 STICK STRIP WINDING MACHINE Jean Paul Beaudoin, Mount Royal, Quebec, and Hiral Hogue, Ville dAnjou, Quebec, Canada, Jacques Larocque, deceased, late of lierrefonds, Quebec, Canada, by Patricia Powers Larocque, executrix, Pierrefonds, Quebec, Canada; said Beaudoin and Hogue assignors to John Lewis, Inc., Montreal, Quebec, Canada Filed Dec. 9, 1968, Ser. No. 785,854 Int. Cl. B65d /04 US. Cl. 533 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tensioned tape having two corresponding series of circular pre-punched holes and a series of planar elongated articles each having a substantial width in relation to its thickness are provided. The plane of each elon gated article is parallel to the axis of the tape so that the tape is flattened against the opposite faces of the articles.

This invention relates to a package of planar elongated articles having a substantial width in relation to the thickness, and a method of making such a package.

Prior art dispensing packages for nails, pins and the like art not helpful. In many cases, the form and separation of the objects enable them to pierce holes in the holding tape without duly tearing it. Furthermore, as such items are of round or square section, they are separated from each other by a distance greater than the largest cross sectional dimension. Other packages give an unacceptably low space factort-hat is, the package material to article cross section is high due to a consumer requirement for rigidity. United States patents such as 8,202; 1,589,777; 2,155,118; 3,165,868 and 3,315,436 are representative of the prior art.

A particular problem occurs when long, wide and thin articles require individual mechanized handling as for instance when flat wooden sticks are to be injected into rapidly freezing material in the manufacture of frozen confections. The above mentioned prior art is purely theoretical because in practice the stocks are presented with flat surfaces face to face to form what is virtually a presliced block; the injector then pushes one stick at a time off the block into the frozen confection mold.

This demands accurate sticks; one that is too thick or too thin, or bowed will cause the injector to jam. The tolerance allowed could be greatly increased (with a much reduced rejection rate and consequent cost reduction) if a package presented the sticks one by one rather than as a presliced block. It will be understood that such a package must be inexpensive; the relatively large spacing and generous use of packaging material together with pierced holes cause the prior art to be non-analogous, or at best impractical.

We have fotmd that the above disadvantages may be overcome by a tensioned tape having two corresponding series of circular prepunched holes and a series of planar elongated articles each having a substantial width in relation to its thickness, and the plane of each being parallel to the axis of the tape so that the tape is flattened against the opposite faces of the articles.

In the preferred embodiments the planar elongated articles are wooden sticks to be used with frozen confections and the diameter of the holes is slightly smaller than the stick width to give a snug interference fit; and the tape is wound into a roll.

Our invention also resides in the method of providing a longitudinally tensioned and folded tape having a series of prepunched holes through both portions separated by the fold, inserting planar elongated articles through the ice holes with the article plane parallel to the axis of the tape and opening the tape while still under tension to eliminate the fold.

Our invention may best be understood from a consideration of the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the general arrangement,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the arrangement,

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the insertion of the sticks, this view looks somewhat downwardly onto the opposite side from FIG. 2,

FIG. 4 is a section through the stick hopper feed and pickup wheel,

FIG. 5 shows a detail arcuate paper guide, 5a, 5b and 50 being sections at successive places,

FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the direction of travel and the forces exerted on the sticks and paper tape,

FIG. 7 shows an orthogonal view of the approaching paper tape and wheel, in a scale more nearly actual size,

FIG. '8 shows a perspective view of a portion of unspooled tape and stick assembly sectioned through the leading hole pair.

In the machine a channel iron framework generally indicated as 2 is provided with a table like surface 4 to provide a plane for locating major horizontally mounted components. A folded paper tape 6 passes through a rotary punching station generally indicated by numeral 8, comprising male punch wheel 10 and female die wheel 12 which are mounted on table 4. A plurality of male punch members 14 are spaced equally around the periphery of wheel 10 and a similar plurality of corresponding dies 16 are sunk through the rim of wheel 12, so as to enable the wheels to mesh together while punching holes 18 in the paper. These wheels are power driven as will be explained below.

The paper tape 6 with a series of holes 18 in it then passes around idler wheel 24 This is positioned to provide positive movement of the tape away from the male punch wheel 14 which otherwise occasionally winds the paper round its periphery. This wheel is mounted on an arm 19 and a spring 21 applies a light tension to the paper coming out of the punch.

The paper is then drawn along an arcuate body shown generally at 22 and having an inverted channel portion 24 as shown in FIGS. 5, 5a, 5b and 5c. The radially inner edge of the arcuate channel extends downwardly so as to provide a support wall 26 for the full height of the paper tape as in FIGS. Sat and 5b. The support wall 26 is not coterminous with the channel proper as'is shown, for reasons which are explained in the next paragraph; and it is provided with a stiffening reinforcement 28 and a lug 30 as may be seen best from FIG. 5. This lug is provided with a hole which accepts a shaft 32 projecting upwardly from the table. The end of the shaft is threaded for nut 34, which is locked to prevent upward displacement of arcuate body 22 but allows this body to rotate about shaft 32.

The position of the arcuate body must be located with some accuracy since the stocks are inserted immediately after the termination of the support wall 26, while the channel 24, which continues on thereafter, still locates the paper top. However, it is desirable to provide positive resilient location at the stick insertion station 44; this is provided at one end of channel portion 24 by bracket 36 which is attached to the channel portion by welding. A shaft 38 is attached at one end of the bracket 36 and passes through block 40 which is mounted on the table 4. A register at the other end of the shaft 38 bears against block 40 to prevent radially outward movement of the arcuate body 22 and a compression spring 42 provides a progressively increasing resistance to radially 3 inward movement at the stick insertion station 44. It will be noted from FIGS. 1 and 5 that the arcuate channel 24 begins after the support wall 26. This is to avoid the possibility of the radially outer wall of the channel contacting and tearing the paper as it enters, no matter how the channel swings about shaft 32.

The purpose of providing a resilient location at the stick insertion is that some wooden sticks are not completely straight and may be curved, bowed or twisted due to knots or other grain defects these deformations prevent such sticks from lining up correctly with the oncoming hole. Thus, a little seeking has to be carried out by such bent sticks to enable them to enter the paper strip correctly. It will be understood that if arcuate body 22 were rigidly mounted, such sticks might tear the paper.

The journey of the sticks to the stick insertion station is best understood by reference to FIG. 4. The sticks 46 are placed in a hopper 48 slightly wider than the length of the sticks. A conveyor wheel 50, provided with a circumferentially split rim having aligned slots 51 which are of a Width convenient to receive the sticks, is disposed at one end of the hopper box and continuously accepts sticks therefrom. This wheel is narrower than the length of the sticks. Rotary brushes 52, driven from wheel 50 by belt 54, brush off any excess sticks or those not properly set in the receiving slots and thereby return them to the hopper.

It is convenient at this point to refer back to the drive for the punch and die wheels 10, 12. The inner face of the rim of conveyor wheel 50 carries an internal driving chain 56 which drives a sprocket 58 secured on shaft 60, mounted on bearings in a bracket from framework 2. This shaft drives a sprocket wheel 62 and chain 64 which drives a further sprocket 66 whose shaft 68 drives the punch and die wheels, 10, 12 through right angle gearing (not shown). It will be readily understood that other drives such as spur gearing may be used instead of the chains and sprockets described.

Returning now to the conveying of the sticks it is difficult to ensure that every slot in conveyor wheel 50 is filled; therefore, a reserve magazine 70 containing sticks is placed radially outwardly from the wheel surface in such a manner that the sticks will fall into any empty slots which pass beneath. In plan view magazine 70 almost hides the brushes 52. It should be noted that the conveyor wheel is so located relative to the hopper and reserve magazine that the sticks protrude beyond the wheel edge at the paper side. The reason for this overhang will be explained below.

Immediately after passing under the reserve magazine the conveyor wheel travels under pressure plates 72 and 74 (see FIG. 3) which are bridged together and resiliently press down upon the sticks. These pressure plates are carried on arms 76 attached to bracket 78 by spindles 80, 82 with coaxially mounted compression springs 84, 86.

The functions which occur at the stick insertion station may best be understood by reference to FIGS. 3, 6 and 7 and the reason for the protrusion of the sticks beyond the edge of the conveyor wheel adjacent the paper will become clear.

The mid height of the support wall 26 of arcuate guide 22 is in the same vertical plane as and closely adjacent to the top point of conveyor wheel 50; and this support wall terminates at or somewhat before reaching the conveyor wheel top although the inverted channel continues on a little distance to provide a guide in both the horizontal and vertical planes as will be understood from FIGS. 1, 5 and 5c and 6.

The projecting ends of the sticks ride up the edge of the table top, a portion of which, 87, is set at an angle to the travel of the top of the conveyor wheel 50. This slant is indicated on FIGS. 1 and 3 and pushes the sticks axially along the conveyor wheel slots 51 towards the viewer of FIG. 3; this makes the further and of the stocks positively clear the edge of the arcuate channel paper support wall 26 to avoid fouling its lower edge. However, immediately after the vertical edge termination of support wall 26 at stick insertion stations 44 the sticks in their travel contact guide 88 which is secured to bracket 78 as well as auxiliary bracket 90. This guide is cut away to allow for a projection 94 to continue above the conveyor wheel 50 after it has fallen away from its top point to push the sticks yet further through the holes in the paper. There is also a rigid fixed horizontally extending tongue between the two halves of the conveyor wheel at the top point; this pries loose any sticks which might stick in their slots. This tongue is omitted for the sake of clarity.

A wheel 96 freely rotatable on a shaft fixed to table top 4 contacts the tape on its side above the holes before it has unfolded. The continuation of the inverted channel 22 beyond the termination of support wall 26 helps preserve the tape in the folded condition after the sticks have been inserted through the paper. This contact point of the wheel with the tape keeps the tape in substantially a straight line, its purpose being to ensure that guide 88 and particularly projection 94 pushes the sticks relative to the paper and through the holes and does not merely push stick and paper together out of the line of travel. That is, perhaps, best illustrated schematically in FIG. 6 where only the sticks and paper are shown in full, other important features being shown in ghost outline or represented by arrows showing the forces they apply, broad arrows indicating direction of travel.

The remainder of the apparatus will be easily understood. After leaving wheel 96 where the paper is beginning to unfold (that is the lower portion of the sides of the paper tape are moving apart) it is supported only by its tension and continues to flatten out or unfold until 1t passes over idling pulley 98 substantially flat, which is supported on bearings on frame 2.

Although the paper tape is called for ease of reference substantially flat, it will be appreciated that it consists in section of an upper mid span above the plane of the row of sticks and two lower end spans below the row; the overall sectional height of the tape is thus approximately that of the thickness of the sticks plus twice the thickness of the paper.

The substantially fiat tape then passes from idler pulley 98 underneath tensioning pulley 100 to spooling idler pulley 104. It will be observed that the weight of the tensioning pulley 100 is supported mainly by the paper tension, since arm 106 (by which the pulley is attached to the frame 2) is approximately horizontal. The paper tape is then Wound onto spool 108 which is driven by an electric motor and gearbox 110.

This motor and gearbox (which also drives conveyor wheel 50 through a chain 112) drives a shaft 114 through a pulley 116 by means of a belt drive 118. This drive is counter rotational to maintain the correct tape and stick motion.

A rubber tired wheel 120 is secured to the shaft 114 and rotates to produce a frictional drive on the spool 108 which is otherwise freely rotatable about its shaft 122. This wheel thus acts at the spooling radius, whatever it may be to produce an approximately constant spooling tension, any variations being absorbed by raising or lowering of pulley 100.

Spool 108 rotates within non-rotating guide plates 124 which has a slot 126 to permit wheel 120 to reach into the space between them Without shaft 114 fouling the edges. A rigid bar 128 is bolted to the guide plates to prevent them rotating after the growth of the spool has pushed shaft 114 from slot 126.

The main portion of the weight of the speel, 108, guide plates, 124, shaft 122 and associated hardware is suspended from framework 2 by arm 130 pivoted at pin 132at its upper end and carrying shaft 122 at its lower end.

The operation of this spooling device will be evident: after attachment of the tape and to the spool and starting of the motor gearbox unit the roll of tape and sticks will gradually increase in diameter; and the edge of slot 126 will ride up shaft 114 as arm 130 rotates in a clockwise sense due to the growth of the roll diameter pushing shaft 122 further away from rubber tired wheel 120.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention the diameter of the holes is somewhat smaller than the Width of the sticks; that is to say that the stick is a snug fit in the hole and can be pushed into the hole without tearing the paper. If the fit is good enough to retain the stick from falling if the folded paper tape is held in a horizontal plane, then the stick ends will remain in alignment. Otherwise, a bent stick, searching for its hole may deflect the spring 42 and the tape so that when it suddenly slips into place the tape may joggle other loose fitting sticks badly off center or may even in extreme case cause the sticks to be ejected from the paper.

FIG. 8 shows the assembly before spooling into a roll. It will be seen that the two series of holes divide the paper laterally into three portions, the two outer portions being in the same plane and the mid portion being in a plane parallel to the outer portions, but displaced therefrom by the thickness of the stick. Of course, these planes become archimedean spirals or similar to watch springs when the package is ready for shipment.

The spacing of the holes is, of course, dependent upon their size and the strength of the tape material. Too great a spacing leads to uneconomical lengths of paper and slow stick feed rates; and too close a spacing weakens the tape.

We prefer to use heavy manila paper tape that is 2 /2 wide folded into two substantially equal portions. The behaviour of this tape under folded stretched conditions is such that it permits a vertical movement at the stick insertion station of approximately both up and down from the center line of travel; moreover, this paper allows a pitch of 78; that is the separation of the sticks (which are usually /8" wide) is only A"; thus bearing in mind the thinness of the paper relative to the thickness of the stick a package with a very high utilization of space has been provided.

A further feature of this tape is that in case of breakage it can be joined very easily by merely placing one end over the other for three or four holes and inserting the sticks to make the joint.

While there has been shown and described what it at present considered the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

It is claimed:

1. A continuous method of packaging a series of planar, elongated articles having a substantial width in relation to thickness comprising the steps of: axially tensioning a longitudinally folded strip of flexible material, forming a series of spaced holes through the material portions on both sides of the fold, thereby providing aligned holes of such a diameter as to accept the elongated articles endwise without tearing the strip, continuously advancing the folded strip while inserting each elongated article endwise into a set of aligned holes so that the plane of each article is perpendicular to the planes of the material portions, and unfolding the strip of flexing material to a substantially planar condition while maintaining the axial tension.

2. A continuous method of packaging sticks comprismg the steps of: axially tensioning a longitudinally folded tape, forming a series of spaced holes through the tape portions on both sides of the fold, thereby providing pairs of aligned holes of such a diameter as to be a sung fit on the stick width, continuously advancing the folded tape while inserting each stick endwise into a pair of aligned holes with the major surfaces of each stick being approximately perpendicular to the planes of the tape portions, and unfolding the strip of flexible material to a substantially planar condition while maintaining the axial tenslon.

3. A continuous method of packaging substantially planar, elongated sticks having a substantial width in relatron to thickness comprising the steps of: axially tensionmg a paper tape, folding the paper tape along a longitudinal axis so as to provide two substantially equal portions, forming a series of spaced holes through both tape portions, thereby providing pairs of aligned holes of such a diameter as to be a snug fit on the stick width, continuously advancing and resiliently holding the folded tape while inserting each stick endwise into a pair of aligned holes with the major surfaces of each stick being approximately perpendicular to the planes of the tape portions, and unfolding the tape to a substantially planar condition While maintaining the axial tension, thereby causing the holes in the tape portions to slide toward the ends of the sticks.

4. A method of packaging sticks as claimed in claim 3 and further comprising the steps of winding the tensioned substantially planar tape onto a spool.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,231,082 1/1966 Weiss 206- 3,279,148 10/1966 Henn 206-65 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner N. ABRAMS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

